How to Read a Food Label
Food labels contain everything you need to make a halal decision — if you know where to look. Here's a visual walkthrough of the 6 key areas on every label.
Example UK food label (numbers match explanations on the right)
Wheat Flour (49%), Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Palm, Sunflower), Cocoa Powder (8%), E4712, Whey Powder (Milk), E322 (Soya), Salt, E120, Raising Agents (E500, E503), Natural Flavouring
ALLERGENS: Contains Wheat, Milk, Soya.
May contain traces of Nuts, Eggs, and Sesame.
E-code colour key
E120 (Cochineal) is haram — it comes from insects. E471 is mushbooh — could be animal or plant fat.
Ingredients List
Always start here. UK law requires all ingredients to be listed in descending order by weight. This is where E-codes and animal-derived ingredients are declared.
E-Codes
Look for "E" followed by a number — e.g.
E471,
E120.
These are EU-approved food additives, each with a halal status.
- Halal — permissible, e.g. E322 (lecithin from soya)
- Haram — forbidden, e.g. E120 (from insects)
- Mushbooh — depends on source, e.g. E471 (may be animal fat)
Allergen Declaration
EU and UK law requires 14 major allergens to be highlighted in bold. Look for Milk, Eggs, Fish, or Molluscs — animal products that directly affect your halal assessment even without an E-code.
"May Contain" Warning
Indicates shared production lines. Phrases like "may contain pork" or "made in a factory that handles pork" signal a cross-contamination risk. This is voluntary disclosure — not all manufacturers include it even when relevant.
Halal Certification Logo
Look for logos from recognised certifying bodies. Common ones in the UK:
- HFA — Halal Food Authority
- HMC — Halal Monitoring Committee
- Halal UK
Bodies vary by country — IFANCA and ISWA are common in the US, JAKIM in Malaysia. A crescent-and-star symbol alone is not a certification — always look for a named body.
Establishment Oval Code (meat only · UK & EU)
Found on meat and fish products inside an oval stamp — in the UK this reads "GB" or "UK"
followed by digits (e.g. GB 2750);
EU countries use a similar system with their two-letter country code.
This identifies the slaughter or processing facility. You can look it up
to check if it holds halal certification.
Quick Shopping Tips
What to do when you're standing in the aisle
Scan the ingredients first
Skip the front of pack claims. Go straight to the ingredients list on the back.
Search every E-code you don't recognise
Even one unknown code is worth checking. E120, E441, and E542 are common haram surprises.
Treat Mushbooh codes with caution
If a code is Mushbooh (e.g. E471), contact the manufacturer to ask for the source.
Check for a named certification
HFA or HMC logos give stronger assurance than a generic halal claim or crescent symbol.
For meat: find the oval code
Look inside the oval stamp for "GB" or "UK" + digits. Search it to verify the facility's halal status.
Scan the label if you're unsure
Use our scanner to photograph the ingredients list and we'll extract and check the E-codes for you.
Common Haram E-Codes to Watch For
These appear regularly in everyday products
E120 Cochineal / Carmine
Red colouring made from crushed insects. Found in yoghurts, sweets, juice drinks.
E441 Gelatine
Usually from pork. Found in sweets, marshmallows, jelly, some yoghurts.
E542 Bone Phosphate
From animal bones. Used as an anti-caking agent in some powders.
E471 Mono & Diglycerides of Fatty Acids
Can be from animal or plant fat. Very common — in bread, biscuits, margarine. Ask the manufacturer.
See the full list of 370+ E-codes with halal status in our database.
Ready to Check Your Label?
Found an E-code you're unsure about? Search our database or scan the label directly.